I was watching an old episode of Star Trek last night. The show always starts withcaptain Picard’s voice: “Space, the final frontier…” - the final boundary, the final border they needed to pass, to discover what lies behind the unseen. These fascinating words made me think of my own “final frontier” that holds me back from discovering the unseen plans that God has for my life. What is holding me back to truly enjoy the abundant life He has given me? I realized: it's fear! Fear of the unknown.

In our current Bible Study on the book of Gideon, there are a lot of examples andlearning moments that have to do with fear and insecurity. I have and sometimes still struggle with fear, and I’m sure I’m not alone. Fear of the dark. Fear of not being good enough. Fear of abandonment. We can go on…There can be all kinds of fears in our lives that paralyze us. The dictionary says that fear is an emotion that is induced by a threat perceived. A threat against us or one of our loved ones will either keep us from moving forward or makes us do irrational things. And it doesn’t even have to be a real threat, only perceived. The “what if’s” of life, where we look at our circumstances and make up some not yet existent threat, cause us anxiety and fear. Statistics say that 70% of the things we worry about will never come to fruition.

In the Bible God says to us over 300 times: “Fear not!” He knew we will struggle with this. “Do not fear, for I’m with you; do not be afraid, for I’m your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous hand.” Isaiah 41:10

The God of the Universe promises to be with us through everything. He will strengthen us, He will help us. “What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” Paul says in Romans 8:31. Nothing can take the reins out of God’s hand. Nothing in your life or my life is out of God’s control. Satan will try to create anxiety, fear, and insecurity in our lives so we will not be effective in the Kingdom of God, but he can’t control your life. We trust in Jesus’ love to save us for eternity, we must trust in His love in our everyday life.

Even Paul, after being persecuted, tortured, and suffering many things in his life, said: “For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come,hostile powers, 39 height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of Godthat is in Christ Jesus our Lord!” Romans 8:38-39So friends, next time insecurity or anxiety creeps in your life, focus on who our God is. His love, sacrifice, acceptance and promises will get you and I through our “final frontier” so we can move forward when we need to move, we can be content in our present circumstances, and we can be fruitful in the work He has for us.

“He did not even spare His own Son but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with Him grant us everything?” Romans 8:32Krisztina White

My husband and I recently returned from visiting Israel. We spent 10 days with others touring many historical and memorable sites around the Holy Land. One of our final stops was the Garden Tomb, the location historians believe was the spot Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus laid to rest the dead, earthly body of Jesus following His brutal crucifixion.

As I stood in line waiting my turn to go inside the small tomb and see it with my own eyes, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was something all of us who were visiting the tomb were hoping to see, or just desiring to confirm for ourselves the Tomb was in fact empty. After all, 25 million people travel from all around the world each year to this exact spot in order to catch a glimpse of this same Tomb. Yet, guess what we discovered? The Tomb IS still empty! God’s promise still remains in tact. So what were we looking for? Like the original disciples, were we seeking to find the living among the dead because of our own lack of belief in the message we have been told in Scripture? Do we also have times of doubt in God’s written Word that we feel the need to see to believe?

It’s worth the reflection. We are quick to judge Thomas for doubting the resurrection of Christ because he had not seen the nail-pierced hands and feet of His Savior himself when Jesus first appeared to the disciples following His resurrection. (John 20) Thomas had not gone to the tomb that Resurrection morning with the women or with Peter and John. He had missed the whole thing. Yet, out of His faithful loving kindness, Jesus showed Himself to Thomas face-to-face before ascending to heaven, but not without speaking a word to him: “…Don’t be an unbeliever, but a believer…Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Those who believe without seeing are blessed.” (John 20:27, 29)

Jesus’ words still apply today. What became very apparent to me is just how amazing it is that God’s consistent message of grace and forgiveness through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Bible travelled so far all the way to the United States to this lost American girl. For I had no chance of visiting Israel at the time and would have been in big trouble if that was the only place salvation could be found. Yet by God’s saving grace and the residing presence of His spirit, salvation is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ, not in a remote place halfway around the world. And this is Good News! Will I take God at His Word, which is available to me in written form, and trust Him for what He already accomplished through Christ? Will I trust Him to fulfill His future promises spelled out in Scripture and live out the truth of that Word? Will I continue to be changed by God’s Word and His Gospel message right here where God has placed me enough to share it with others who want to believe even without seeing?

It is remarkable to travel and see Israel, but it is even more astonishing that God’s love reaches beyond the borders of Israel to find a repentant heart no matter where you reside. The Tomb is still empty…may that truth transform your life by the saving power of Jesus. Believe His Word and His Message of grace and forgiveness today, right where you are. Don’t wait to go to Israel to see an empty Tomb to meet Jesus face-to-face when He can be found here and now. “He is not here! For He has been resurrected, just as He said.” (Matt. 28:6)

The Apostle Paul reminds us of this from his sermon recorded in Acts 17: “The God who made the world and everything in it – He is LORD of heaven and earth and does not live in shrines made by hands…From one man He has made every nation of men to live all over the earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live, so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.” (v. 24, 26-27)

Lately God has brought to my attention how influential my thought life is on my reactions to circumstances, my attitude, my children, husband, work, etc. I tend to focus on the negative. So I’ve been trying to begin the habit of having conversations with myself that point out the good. Lysa Terkeurst, president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, has a great devotional that has inspired me on my goal of having a better thought life. She also included a great and practical Bible verse: Lamentations 3:19-23. In the verse, the writer gives voice to the hardship BUT chooses to focus on God. Here’s Lysa’s devotional below, followed by the Lamentations verses.

Temika MiddlebrooksTurning My Twit AroundLast week my husband made the decision to have a tree cut down in our front yard. He’d consulted with a professional who told him the tree was sick and one good storm could cause the tree to break and fall. Plus, this tree has been dropping these prickly gum ball things that drive my husband crazy.So, with one swift decision and a few strong men, the tree was gone. I wasn’t in any of the conversations about the tree. I didn’t know it was sick. I didn’t know it could fall during a storm and damage our home or our cars. I didn’t mind the prickly gum ball things. All I knew is I walked out my front door and a tall, lovely, shade-providing tree was just chopped down. My heart seized at the sight. What in heavens? I called my husband in a panic. His calm and reassuring explanation didn’t make me feel better. Every time I looked outside, all I could see was the stump. The gaping hole in the typical landscape of our front yard. The shade that was missing. I was hyperfocused on what was missing rather than seeing the bigger picture. Now here’s the crazy thing. We live out in the country and have countless trees all around our house. Lots and lots of trees. But the more I got all in a twit about that one tree, the less I noticed all the others. Distracted by one wrong thing, I was missing out seeing many right things. I think this is a tactic the evil one uses against me. Against you. Against us. The Devil loves to make us focus on the little that’s wrong so we miss the big picture of all that’s right.So, today when this starts happening, I’m going to follow everything up with a “but” statement. If I catch myself focusing on something that’s wrong, I’ll stop my negative hyperfocus by saying, “but”…and start listing things that are right.My front yard is missing a tree, BUT my husband has promised to plant a new one. One that doesn’t drop prickly things and isn’t sick. My husband didn’t talk to me about the tree before it was chopped down, BUT he was being my family’s protector. One who cares enough to just take care of what needs to be taken care of. One that I can trust.I have a tendency to get in a twit about little things, BUT today is a new day with new possibilities. If only I will remember how good a BUT can be.Lamentations 3:19-23 Amplified Bible (AMP)19 [O Lord] remember [earnestly] my affliction and my misery, my wandering and my outcast state, the wormwood and the gall.20 My soul has them continually in remembrance and is bowed down within me.21 But this I recall and therefore have I hope and expectation:22 It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not.23 They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.

I can't think of a better way to end the study "Jesus the One and Only" than with visit to the Holy Land. We are in day 6 of a ten-day trip. There is something so moving to hear Scripture read in the location where the miracles and prophesies took place. I wish you could all be here to experience it witb us, but since you can't, please enjoy some pictures.Beverly Chesnut

The flowers are blooming, the birds are nesting, and the trees have new buds. New life is starting. Our spring may not be as visible as our neighbors to the north, but even in tropical Florida we see and feel the subtle changes of spring.

Song of Songs 2:11-12 (NIV)

See! The winter is past;the rains are over and gone.Flowers appear on the earth;the season of singing has come,the cooing of doves is heard in our land.

Spring reminds me that God gave us a new life in his son, Jesus.Ruby Cripe